From Aapravasi to the Next Milestone

Editorial

The arrival of Indian indentured labourers was commemorated once again yesterday at the Aapravasi Ghat. The official function was preceded by a religious ceremony – a Yaj – being held annually since the time the site was rehabilitated thanks to the initiative of the founder-editor of this paper, B. Ramlallah in the 1970s.

People tend to forget that those we commemorate on this occasion belong to all the Indo-Mauritian group, irrespective of their linguistic or religious appurtenance. All of them braved the perilous maritime voyage from India to the shores of Aapravasi Ghat to face an uncertain future over here. Even though there are still a few reminders of the dreary conditions in which the original ancestors lived, their descendants have made progress, mainly in the broad areas of education and politics. Through great perseverance and by overcoming serious barriers to entry, they gained access to education and went on to show their mettle in numerous areas that would have been considered out of bounds for them originally. Some of the finest intellects have originated from the ranks of the descendants of these indentured labourers and contributed to the advancement of this country.

After an enduring struggle, they also gained access to the right to vote. They joined their forces together in the struggle for independence. In answer to the walls of prejudices erected against them, they proved to be capable of taking decisions in favour of all the components of the population without discrimination once they managed to secure the levers of political power. Some of the leaders emerging from among the descendants of the Indo-Mauritians have contributed to significant defining decisions shaping the life of the nation.

The comfort drawn from having a say in political decision-making has however acted as a disincentive in the case of the descendants of the Indo-Mauritians as regards making headway in the economic domain. Some among them who have felt marginalized by politics at some point or other have actually concentrated all their energies to secure greater economic power to compensate themselves for the loss of a strong voice in politics, focusing instead on business. To an extent, these have made better headway than the others from the fold but the inroads they have actually made economically have still fallen far short of the persisting unchallenged commanding heights of the economy.

On the face of it, nothing should have precluded the Indo-Mauritians and their descendants from succeeding in business just as much as they have managed to make significant advances in education and politics. In the absence of wide ranging success in business and given the foreclosure of their recruitment by the thriving firms of the private sector, which however is gradually giving way to the exigencies of a highly competitive global market, Indo-Mauritians opted for enlistment in the public service on the strength of their merit. But that does not necessarily foster a great sense of business. It is more about getting appointed or being promoted than opening up to the wide world of opportunities for doing business. 

The world economy will be increasingly knowledge-driven with consumers unable to extricate themselves from a wide range of services they will become used to. In that transformation, those undertaking to become entrepreneurial providers of dynamic global services will become the wealth holders of the highest order of the next world, which is already taking shape, notably in China, India, Brazil, etc. Those events are shaping the platform on which all Mauritians, including the descendants of Indo-Mauritians can thrive in future. Even though they may not be sufficiently equipped or be entrepreneurial enough to embark on this new adventure, there are people who can get them on this arena. For instance, Indian entrepreneurs who have shown to the world that they have to be reckoned with, can partner with us to enable our people to leapfrog into the new global adventure for mutual benefit. It has to be recalled in this respect that several companies that have been successful in the past have conquered markets by joining the hands of different entrepreneurs together. Lone raiders may not find their game in this world of global networking.

Can therefore a whole business community team up to thrive in a business environment in which good ideas have as much, if not more, importance than capital in the setting up of successful enterprises of the future? This milestone has been eluding the descendants of Indo-Mauritians for a long time now and it would be appropriate to make that happen.

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 3 November 2023